The present invention relates to the propulsion of watercraft and specifically to an apparatus to be mounted to accommodating watercraft that will allow for pedal powered propulsion by an occupant.
Various means of occupant-powered watercraft have been proposed and utilized in the past. Paddles driven by hand, including those with folding blades, such as the device described in U.S. Pat. No. 427,842, have been around for many years. More recently, foot-driven, pedal systems have gained in popularity as boaters have come to appreciate the advantages of having their hands free for activities, such as, fishing. The typical superiority of an operator's leg strength over arm strength is another reason for the appeal of pedal systems.
Many previously proposed and existing devices for pedal driving watercraft rely on a circular pedal motion like that used to propel bicycles. U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,551 describes a pedal driven watercraft that requires pedals to be driven in such a revolving path. For the operator of a small watercraft, such as, a kayak this circular motion may produce discomfort due to the relative distance between a given pedal's nearest and furthest points to the operator's torso during a revolution. Many of these designs also require chains, or extended drive shafts to transfer motion to a propulsive element.
The device described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,249 requires less of an extension of the operator's legs, but lacks the desirable feature of being able to reverse the direction of the propulsion.